RAW NITROGEN

Nitrogen Resources

RAW Nitrogen contains 20% Ammonium Nitrogen (N) in a Water Soluble form. RAW Nitrogen does not contain nitrates or urea which enables it to be applied at all stages of growth and bloom. Continue Reading

RAW Humic Acid contains 59% Humic Acids derived from Leonardite which is the most concentrated, water Soluble humic acid product on the market today. In nature, humic acid has a buffering effect on the pH of soils. Continue Reading

RAW SILICA

Silica Resources

RAW Silica contains 45% Silicon Dioxide which is the highest concentration of silicon dioxide available to the home gardener. RAW Silica is flowable and suspend-able in water and naturally available to the plant. Continue Reading

RAW YUCCA

Yucca Resources

RAW Yucca is made from 100% natural yucca extract from the plant Yucca Schidigera. It can be used as wetting agent for nutrient solutions and foliar sprays and is great for flushing excess salts from the root Zone. Continue Reading

RAW B-VITAMIN

B-Vitamin Resources

RAW B-Vitamin contains 1% vitamin B1 which is the highest concentration of water Soluble vitamin B1 available to the home gardener. RAW B-vitamin also contains 9% magnesium and is an optimal magnesium supplement. Continue Reading

RAW Calcium/Mag contains 15% calcium and 3% magnesium. RAW Calcium/Mag has optimized the ratio of each element in a Water soluble formulation of calcium nitrate and magnesium sulfate so that it doesn’t leave the media salty. Continue Reading

RAW FULL UP

Full Up Resources

Use RAW Full Up in conjunction with all nutrients and supplements. It is a beneficial supplement to all feeding schedules. Its also ideal for adding to foliar sprays and for creating optimal recipe solutions. Continue Reading

RAW GROW

Grow Resources

RAW GROW is a tested blend of all 12 RAW Soluble plant nutrients, essential elements and supplements. This blend has been proven to be an optimal all-in-one base “Grow” horticultural fertilizer. Continue Reading

RAW BLOOM

Bloom Resources

RAW BLOOM is a tested blend of all 12 RAW Soluble plant nutrients, essential elements and supplements. This blend has been proven to be an optimal all in one base “Bloom” horticultural fertilizer. RAW BLOOM is used through out the entire flowering stage. Continue Reading

MICROBES Grow Stage

Microbes Grow Stage Resources

Grow Stage MICROBES are a specific group of Beneficial Bacteria and Fungi formulated specially for the Grow / Vegetative Stage of plants. This variety of Microbes is designed to promote Root Growth & Nutrient Availability during the Grow Stage. Continue Reading

MICROBES Bloom Stage

MICROBES Bloom Stage Resources

Bloom Stage MICROBES are a specific group of Beneficial Bacteria and Fungi formulated specially for the Flower/Bloom Stage of plants. This variety of Microbes is designed to promote Nutrient Availability & Plant Protection during the Bloom Stage. Continue Reading

RAW Enzymes

RAW Enzymes are Uncut, Tech Grade Enzymes. Active ingredients are Cellulase, Xylanase, and Beta-Glucanase. No Fillers, No Dyes. RAW Enzymes are soluble and compatible with all nutrient programs, from hobby to professional, soil to hydroponics. Continue Reading

RAW Amino Acids

RAW Amino Acids are Uncut, Tech Grade Amino Acids derived from L-Glycine and L-Glutamic Acid. No Fillers, No Dyes. RAW Amino Acids are a soluble plant supplement that is compatible with all nutrient programs, from hobby to professional, soil to hydroponics. Continue Reading

Mighty

Mighty KILLS ALL accessible stages of SPIDER MITES including EGGS! Mighty can be used Indoors, Outdoors or in Greenhouses. Mighty is Fast Acting and Kills on Contact. For best use, thoroughly spray all parts of plants at first sign of pests. Continue Reading

PM Wash

PM Wash leaves plants clean and vibrant. It’s in these kinds of conditions that plants learned to thrive in cooperation with the simple elements of a cleansing rain, a gentle breeze. Spray PM Wash throughout the growing and flowering cycle, up to and especially during harvest. Continue Reading

Power Wash

Power Wash for naturally clean plants. Remove built up residues from foliar sprays and airborne particles. Cleansing also helps your plants maximize photosynthesis. Just as a gentle rain helps plants in nature un-clog the stomata(s). Continue Reading

NPK University

NPK University has become the cornerstone educational resource for technology driven gardening. Featuring top experts, NPK University identifies and discusses issues that are important in a hyper-growth industry. NPK University equips attendees with the knowledge and inspiration to break free from the crowd and stand out in their markets. Visit NPK University!

Growing Strong Seedlings

Giving your plants a strong head start is an important first step towards achieving success in your indoor garden. If your seedlings are weak and spindly, they may not make it off the propagation bench. Even if seedlings do survive, they may never reach their true genetic potential, so following a few propagation basics is well worth the time and effort.

Soak Yours Seeds Before You Start

Whenever possible, it’s best to use fresh seeds that have been stored in a cool, dark place. Fresh seeds are loaded with starches and stored nutrients, and typically have a good germination rate when given adequate moisture and warmth. If you have older seeds or seeds that haven’t been stored under ideal conditions, a few extra precautions should be taken.

Kelp extracts make a great seed soak for older seeds, as kelp is loaded with natural growth hormones and contains many beneficial trace elements. One of the hormones found in seaweed extracts is called gibberillic acid. In nature, gibberillic acid triggers the release of enzymes in the seeds that begin the germination process. Soaking seeds overnight in seaweed extracts may improve germination rates by up to 30%.

In hydroponic applications, stonewool starter cubes are a good choice for starting seeds. A sheet of stonewool starter cubes fits perfectly in a standard nursery tray, and it has the perfect air- to water-holding capacity. Just make sure you condition the stonewool with pH-adjusted water before planting.

For best results, soak the starter cubes for a few minutes in water with a pH of about 5.5. The conditioning solution will neutralize the limestone dust left over from the manufacturing process and provide plenty of moisture for germinating seeds. Pour off the excess water so the stonewool isn’t sitting in a puddle of water, then simply plant one seed in each starter cube.

Give Your Seedlings Some Full-spectrum Light

It’s also a good idea to cover the propagation tray with a humidity dome and place the tray under full-spectrum lights. The dome will keep the relative humidity in the propagation tray at about 98%—ideal for germinating seeds—and the full-spectrum lights will help keep the seedlings from stretching once they germinate. Seedlings don’t need much light intensity. Two standard fluorescent lamps over a nursery tray are adequate, but many gardeners, including myself, prefer four lamps.

Full-spectrum fluorescent grow lamps work best. The blue end of the spectrum helps seedlings remain short and stocky, and the red end of the spectrum helps stimulate root growth. Just keep the lamps a few inches above the growing tips and raise the lamps as needed. Also, remember to remove the humidity dome after all of the seeds have germinated and started to grow. Keeping the humidity dome on too long can set up an environment for fungal pathogens.

Give Your Seedlings Some Bottom Heat

Bottom heat is also beneficial, especially for germinating tropical seeds. Most heating mats are set at the factory to provide a temperature of 78°F. The warm temperature helps activate enzymes such as amylase, the enzyme that breaks down starches into sugars, which provide energy for cell division and growth.

Remember not to use bottom heat when germinating cool-weather crops such as lettuce and spinach. Warm temperatures actually inhibit germination in cool-weather crops. Check your seed packages for any other special considerations. For example, some seeds may need to be cold-treated before they can germinate, and a few native seeds need to be scratched or treated with acids before they can germinate. Fortunately, most garden variety seeds are easy to germinate with little special treatment.

After the seeds germinate, the bottom heat should be reduced or removed. The warmer the water temperature, the less dissolved oxygen the water can hold. Remember, it’s not overwatering that kills the plant, it’s lack of oxygen. If the water temperature exceeds 78°F, it can’t hold enough dissolved oxygen and it sets up an environment for anaerobic fungi. Anaerobic fungi grow in stagnant, oxygen-deprived water, and they are the bad guys that cause root rot. After the seeds germinate, try to maintain the water temperature between 68 and 75°F for best results.

Starter Fertilizers for Seedlings

Seeds contain all of the minerals and nutrients necessary to begin growing, so they can be germinated with water only. Once the first true leaves start to appear, however, they need a starter fertilizer. The first leaves that pop out of the seed are not true leaves; they are the embryonic leaves that are formed inside the seed. The second sets of leaves are the plant’s first true leaves. When they appear, it means the seedling is actively growing and that it is ready for a mild fertilizer.

During the first few weeks, use a full-spectrum fertilizer that includes trace elements such as iron, copper, manganese and zinc. The trace metals are cofactors that actually turn on enzymes used for photosynthesis and cellular metabolism. Also, make sure the pH is kept in the slightly acidic range, somewhere between 5.8 and 6.4. If the pH rises much past 6.5, iron starts to become unavailable to the plant. Iron is a catalyst for the formation of chlorophyll, essential for photosynthesis.

If the pH rises above 7.5, all of the metal catalysts start to become unavailable and can slow down new growth. Zinc, for example, activates the enzymes necessary for indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production—the growth hormone responsible for initiating root production.

Adequate phosphorus is also important for faster root strike and better establishment of the plant. Phosphorus is the energy element. It energizes the rooting process, and extra phosphorus is included in most commercial starter fertilizers. With just a little extra phosphorus, it is possible to see as much as 20% more roots.

Root Stimulants for Seedlings

Starter fertilizers provide all of the essential minerals that seedlings need, but organic bio-stimulants aid with the uptake of minerals. For example, humic and fulvic acids aid with the uptake of iron and other trace minerals. Humic acid is an intermediate chelator. “Chela” means “claw,” so humic acid molecules attach to mineral ions like a claw, holding them tightly enough to keep them from getting locked up in the soil, but loosely enough to release them to the root hairs on demand. Humic and fulvic acids also help to neutralize pH. In nature, humic acids raise the pH of acid soils and lower the pH of alkaline soils.

For even better results, combine humic acid with seaweed extracts. When used together in a 5:2 ratio, humic acid and seaweed work 50% better than either product alone. The combination stimulates root development, producing more lateral root growth and more root mass. Seaweed extracts also contain B-vitamins and amino acids that stimulate cellular metabolism and further aid with the uptake of minerals.

For example, some amino acids stimulate root cells to open up calcium ion channels, allowing calcium ions to be taken up thousands of times faster than simple osmosis. Calcium helps seedlings develop thicker stems and stronger cell walls. Plus, calcium activates the enzymes that pump the growth hormones to the growing tips.

Microbial Inoculants for Seedlings

Treating seedlings with microbial inoculants is also a good idea. Some microbes fix nitrogen from the air and feed it to the plant, others solubilize phosphorus, and some produce plant protection agents and rooting hormones. For example, some micro-organisms produce the amino acid tryptophan on the surface of the roots. The root cells easily absorb the tryptophan and transport it to the leaves, where it is converted into IAA. The IAA is then pumped to the roots to stimulate the growth of new root hairs.

Beneficial microbes also produce siderophores. The word siderophore literally means “iron carrier.” One of the strongest chelators of iron in nature, siderophores act indirectly as plant protection agents. As beneficial bacteria colonize the root surface, siderophores sequester iron and make it unavailable to foreign invaders so the roots are protected from root pathogens such as pythium and rhizoctonia. Some soilless mixes take advantage of the process by adding certain species of bacillus subtilis to the blend and calling it a biofungicide.

Propagation is easy if you have the right tools and follow a few simple instructions. Just give the seeds a good soaking, and provide adequate light and warmth. Afterwards, it only takes a little coaxing to grow strong, healthy seedlings with thick stems and dark green foliage. Propagation is the least expensive part of indoor growing, so don’t be afraid to throw in a few extra seeds, and always select the best of the best!